Leica M11
“The Camera that changed everything”
And why I got rid of it
During that time, I was deeply involved in film photography and mainly used a Mamiya 6, Leica M3, and M6 as my primary cameras. I was contemplating the switch to digital photography and the thought of acquiring a digital Leica M body crossed my mind. I was looking to transition away from film for various reasons, but one factor that held me back was the tactile experience and overall feel of using a film camera and a rangefinder. I sought something similar and began searching for a digital M body online. The first thing that caught me by surprise was the high prices of used digital Leica bodies. I had always thought Leica film bodies were expensive, but the digital ones were substantially more so at the time. I came across a listing on Facebook Marketplace for a fairly new Leica M11 with an extra battery, leather case, original packaging, and warranty. The seller was open to trading for a Fujifilm system, specifically the 100 series. I decided to take a chance and offered my Fuji Xpro 3 kit. Long story short, I traded my Fuji system with extras for their M11.
Once I had the M11, I started using it exclusively as my main everyday camera, and it was everything I was looking for. It offered great image quality, easy-to-work-with files, excellent battery life, and an overall great experience. After about a year of exclusively using this camera, I finally got rid of all my film cameras and decided to fully transition to digital. That year was undeniably one of the most fulfilling periods for my photography. It harkened back to the early days of my passion for capturing moments, granting me the freedom to photograph in any lighting conditions without the constraints of film photography. I created some of my most cherished photos during that time, and the overall digital experience deeply resonated with me. It became evident that I could derive immense joy from photography without relying on film, as long as I had a camera that truly inspired me.
However, shortly after making the switch, problems started to occur. Yes, it's true – the expensive camera started freezing, locking up indefinitely and I ultimately had to send it in for repairs. That was just the beginning; I had to send this camera back for repairs four times throughout the year, leaving me without a camera to photograph with for majortiy of the year. After the fourth time reaching out for support, Leica USA finally decided to grant me a much-anticipated replacement M11. While I was genuinely thrilled with this decision, I quickly discovered that this newly arrived M11 also presented several issues shortly after its arrival. The camera would often refuse to turn on at seemingly random moments, even when it was fully charged and ready to go. I experimented with multiple different batteries, yet nothing seemed to resolve the persistent problem. Only after enduring a frustrating wait of about an hour would the camera finally power on. It felt as though the camera possessed a mind of its own, leading to moments of uncertainty and hesitation. Despite the immense inspiration it provided for my photography, I knew I could not maintain a system that was proving to be this unreliable and inconsistent. Consequently, I made the difficult decision to part ways with it and opted for a different model of Leica. I am fully aware that I still haven't learned my lesson, perhaps stubbornly so. I wouldn’t label myself as a full-fledged Leica fanboy, but I certainly appreciate the rich history, impeccable quality, and the overall allure of the Leica system as a whole.
